Samson Rope CEO announces retirement

Samson Rope Technologies said Steve Swiackey will retire as CEO at the end of the year after more than 41 years at the company.

Samson president Tony Bon was named CEO.

Swiackey came to Samson in 1972 as assistant plant manager of what was then the company’s largest manufacturing operation in Shirley, Mass.

He quickly rose to plant manager, then to vice president of manufacturing, and in 1985 became president of the company. Swiackey bought Samson in 1988, relocating the company’s headquarters and its largest manufacturing operation to Ferndale, Wash.

In 1993 he sold the business to the present owners, Wind River Holdings, adding manufacturing facilities in Lafayette, La.

For the last several years, Swiackey has continued to lead growth and success in his position as CEO. He will continue to serve as a consultant to Wind River Holdings.

Bon has been with Samson since 1974, when he began on the manufacturing floor in the Massachusetts facility.

He soon progressed to production superintendent, and later transferred to the Washington facility in 1980 as plant manager. Since then, he has held positions as materials manager, vice president of operations, senior vice president, chief operating officer and president since 2007.